Philip Ormond, 43, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for dangerous driving that caused the death of Kathleen Furlong, an elderly woman, on 8 September 2023. Ormond was driving 18 km/h over the speed limit when he ran a red light at the R136 junction in Tallaght, striking Furlong as she crossed the road. He fled the scene, later changing clothes and covering his car's registration plates with black plastic bags. The court heard evidence that he had a long opportunity to see the red light and that he deliberately chose to drive dangerously. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and leaving the scene. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, disqualified Ormond from driving for six years, and noted his remorse but highlighted the aggravating factors of speed, failure to obey the light and leaving the scene.
Patrick Cawley, 35, pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was convicted of four offences against three men, including a German tourist in his 60s. Cawley, described by the judge as an "endemic recidivist offender" with 127 prior convictions and a history of drug addiction, was sentenced to five years and three months, with the final 12 months suspended, leaving an effective term of four years and three months. The judge aimed to encourage treatment of his drug problem and reintegration into society. The German victim suffered anxiety, stress and a fear of crowds, and reported an economic loss of €1,100. Another victim sustained a broken jaw that required wiring. A third incident involved a mugging at a Luas stop, but no conviction was recorded for that event. The court noted Cawley's cooperation during the interview.
A 24-year-old man from St Catherine's Park, Rush, Co Dublin, has been remanded in custody pending sentence next October following his guilty plea to criminal damage on March 31, 2024, and assault causing harm to a woman on April 3, 2024. John Hoey admitted to the charges during a hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution outlined that the woman, who is pregnant, sustained injuries including a black eye and a cut to her head. Garda Niamh Owens detailed that Hoey had been accessing her Snapchat and accused her of cheating, leading to a violent incident where he pushed her head under water during a bath, threatened her with a Stanley knife, and grabbed her by the throat, causing her to pass out. The woman managed to escape the house with assistance from passersby. Hoey's defence acknowledged his client's history of anger management issues and his attendance at counselling since the incident. The court heard that Hoey and the woman are still in a relationship, and their child was born late last year. The woman did not complete a victim impact statement. Ms Cummings informed the court that if the defence wished to adjourn the case for a probation report, the State would request Hoey's bail be revoked and he be remanded in custody. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentence to next October and instructed Hoey to engage with The Probation Service and undergo domestic violence courses.
Rokas Kalytis, 24, pleaded guilty to criminal damage for graffitiing rail carriages and an underpass between January 2020 and May 2022. Irish Rail spent €26,000 on repairs. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term. CCTV footage showed him using permanent markers on carriage panels and an underpass at Connolly Station. His home was searched, and items were seized. Kalytis had previously moved to the Netherlands but returned in August 2023 and voluntarily met with Gardaí. He has nine prior convictions, including criminal damage, and had a previous community service order that was struck out. He is currently working, has a construction work‑safe pass, and a forensic report indicates low risk of re‑offending. The judge warned that failure to comply with the community service could result in the two‑year prison term.
James Fuery, 32, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a sniffer dog at Dublin Airport flagged a suitcase he had brought from Ibiza. Customs officers seized €404,520 of cannabis, weighing just under 22.5 kg, in 45 vacuum‑sealed packets. Fuery admitted it was his first time bringing drugs into the country and explained that he had relapsed into addiction, built a €15,000 drug debt, and was under pressure. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting the seriousness of the offence and Fuery's early plea, imposed a headline sentence of four and a half years. The court set a three‑year custodial term, suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, including drug treatment. Fuery is a chef with a pro‑social family and has no prior drug convictions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Olesja Hertova, 49, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of her partner James Ryan, 69, after she forcefully pushed him on 11 August 2024. The incident occurred after a dispute at their home following a night out. Hertova claimed she was trying to stop him from driving. CCTV footage showed her returning to the house and staying with Ryan until emergency services arrived. Ryan suffered a blunt‑force head injury, was transferred to Beaumont Hospital, and died the next day. Hertova had no prior convictions and expressed remorse during her interview. The court, considering her early guilty plea and lack of previous offences, imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to two years and nine months, back‑dated to her August 2024 arrest. The sentence was based on the single push that caused Ryan's death.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 4 July 2025, Stefano Gianluca Macari, 24, pleaded guilty to robbery and assault causing harm after he and two co‑accused attacked an American doctor in his 40s on 27 April 2023. Macari, a member of the Macari takeaway family, was caught by Gardaí with the victim's wallet and bank cards and had been in custody since June. He kicked the victim several times in the head while the trio stole cash and the wallet before fleeing. The victim suffered lacerations and bruising, declined hospital treatment, and was treated with temporary stitches. Macari's co‑accused received four‑ and five‑year sentences. The court noted Macari's 27 prior convictions and ordered a probation report, Governor's report and urine analysis for November, with the matter to be finalised then.
In a case heard in May 2024, Judge Sarah Berkeley sentenced 26‑year‑old Martin Awoke to a two‑year suspended sentence after he fully repaid students who were defrauded of €9,820 for accommodation in Limerick. Awoke, who had no prior convictions, had allowed his bank account to be used in the scheme but did not participate in its planning. He pleaded guilty to handling the proceeds of crime on 12 August 2022. The court noted that Awoke had previously saved €10,000, spent €3,000 on bills, and had been directed to pay €7,000 to the investigating Garda. After a job interview and a commitment to raise the remaining balance, Awoke repaid the full amount, submitted apologies, and requested time to arrange compensation with family support. Judge Berkeley declined to remove the conviction, citing the impact on the victims, and imposed the suspended sentence under strict conditions.
Faizal Akbar, a 61‑year‑old Pakistani man living on Benburb Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming €43,715 in social welfare payments between 2010 and 2019. He used a false Afghan passport to open a bank account, obtain an M10 form and apply to the Department of Social Protection, receiving the benefit under his own name. The passport also enabled him to travel to Pakistan to see his wife and children. When the passport expired, he reported the issue to his bank, which alerted the gardai. In 2023 he discovered he was actually entitled to the benefit and now receives it legitimately. The court noted he had no prior convictions, no wealth, and shared a room with three other adults. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a suspended two‑year sentence, suspended in full for four years on his own recognisance, stating the sentence would remain in effect for that period.
Patrick Kelly, 63, of Moneymore, Drogheda, County Louth, was arrested at Dublin Airport in January 2025 after customs officers noted his suspicious behaviour. A search of his luggage revealed just under 20 kg of cannabis, valued at about €398,680. Kelly admitted in a Garda interview that he had acted as a "suicide mission" and "complete madness", and pleaded guilty to importation of cannabis and possession for sale. He had minor prior traffic convictions and had been remanded since his arrest. Prosecutor Antonia Boyle said Kelly, who retired in November 2023, had been living "hand to mouth" on his pension and was depressed over not being able to buy Christmas presents for his two grandchildren. He claimed he was approached by someone who knew of his financial hardship and offered money to transport the drugs from Thailand.
Michael Cash, 33, of Ashlawn Park, Ballybrack, was found by Gardaí on a Luas track in Cherrywood carrying two golden hatchets and a large kitchen knife while riding an e‑scooter. He was wearing a balaclava and attempted to flee when officers arrived. Cash dropped one hatchet, which Gardaí recovered, and the other hatchet and knife were found concealed on his person. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of the hatchets. Cash has 116 prior convictions, including false imprisonment, assault, criminal damage and road traffic offences, and a history of alcohol and drug problems. The court noted his guilty pleas, cooperation with Gardaí, and his willingness to enter a custodial sentence. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain imposed a three‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, and directed Cash to be placed under probation supervision for two years and to engage in a drug treatment programme.
An on‑bail offender, Stephan Obelngoa, 24, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended 12‑month term for assault causing harm, assault of a peace officer and resisting arrest. The offence occurred on 2 October 2023 at The Square, Tallaght, when Obelngoa dragged an 11‑year‑old visually impaired girl away from her mother, threw her into a concession stand, and spat blood and saliva at Garda officers who tried to restrain him. He was pepper‑sprayed and subdued by security guards before Garda arrival. The court noted Obelngoa had six prior convictions, was on bail, and had been unmedicated for six months, suffering from schizophrenia. Judge Ni Chulachain accepted the defendant's guilty plea and the victim's young age, imposed a 12‑month imprisonment term, but suspended it in full on strict conditions, citing a low risk of re‑offending under probation supervision.
DJ Carey, a former hurling star aged 54, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial to ten counts of defrauding people by falsely claiming to have cancer and needing money for treatment. The charges cover the period 2014‑2022 and involve 13 complainants, including Denis O'Brien and the Conway family. One count of dishonestly inducing a person to pay was struck out, leaving the remaining counts for sentencing. Carey's defence highlighted his genuine health problems, noting he underwent heart surgery last summer, and requested legal aid and a psychological report. Judge Patricia Ryan granted these requests, set a sentencing hearing for 29 October, and remanded Carey on bail until then. The case was to be heard without a jury, with the prosecution originally expecting about 28 witnesses. Carey is a celebrated former Kilkenny hurler who has won five All‑Ireland medals and served as a selector and U21 manager after retirement.
A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment following a deliberate fire at a house in Shankill, Dublin in December 2024. Jason Flynn of Longford House, Spencer Dock, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to arson at the address on 5 December 2024 and possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 23 December 2024. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Flynn travelled over 19 kilometres to set fire to a car and Christmas wreath at the family home in the early hours, knowing a family of five was inside. A neighbour's alert enabled their escape. The court was told this was the second fire Flynn had caused at the property; he had previously set a fire there in 2001 after being evicted from the adjacent house, which he then occupied. Judge Martin Nolan noted Flynn acted with malice and forethought, stating that had the family not been alerted, fire could have entered the home with potentially fatal consequences. Flynn has 19 previous convictions including arson and assault causing serious harm.
Caithlin Balmer, 26, voluntarily reported herself to Gardaí after engaging with a Snapchat user who offered her "quick cash" and asked her to allow the man to use her bank account. She pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing proceeds of criminal conduct totalling €21,400, with €16,409 transferred or withdrawn from the victim's account. Balmer admitted she withdrew some funds and handed cash to the man, who paid her €175. She claimed no role in gathering victim information or taking money from the account. The court accepted her pleas on the basis of recklessness, noting her remorse and cooperation. Judge Pauline Codd set a headline sentence of two and a half years, then imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended in full on strict conditions, citing her genuine remorse and employment as a nursing care assistant. The sentence reflected her being "highly naïve" and "highly reckless" in the offence.
Jason Hughes, aged 21, pleaded guilty to arson at Pairc Na Greine, Tallaght, on 9 December 2022, for which he received an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year custodial sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 October 2023. The court found that the fire, set on the balcony of an apartment complex, caused €80‑90 000 in damage and left the occupants, including Hughes's estranged father, with nothing. Hughes was 19 at the time of the offence and had a history of chaotic life, ADHD, suicide attempts and drug activity. He appealed, arguing that part of the sentence should have been suspended to encourage rehabilitation, citing his personal circumstances and the psychological report. The Court of Appeal will decide at a later date. The appeal was heard by defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC and represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Aoife McNickle BL. The case remains pending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 39‑year‑old Garda Shane Flanagan pleaded guilty to inciting two men to rape a woman and to six counts of endangerment for impersonating her on FetLife.com and Facebook, inviting violence against her and her two teenage daughters between 2018 and 2020. He also pleaded guilty to possession of four images of child sexual abuse material. The victim, who had no romantic or sexual history with Flanagan, described the impersonation as a calculated, predatory act that left her lifelong scars. Flanagan, who had been suspended in 2021 and retired in March 2024, was remanded in custody for finalisation of sentence. The court heard extensive evidence, including over 2,000 screenshots, 219 doctored images, and the victim's address and personal details shared by Flanagan. The case highlighted the breach of trust by a fellow Garda and the severe impact on the victim's safety and mental health.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 30 June 2025, Cristian Topiter, aged 39, pleaded guilty to the theft of a mobile phone and a suitcase from a Ukrainian woman in Smithfield Square, two hours after he had set fire to St Michan's Church. The arson, for which he was jailed for six years in February, destroyed two mummified bodies, including an 800‑year‑old Crusader, and caused a financial crisis for the parish. The court heard that the stolen phone was never recovered, while the suitcase, found at Topiter's address, remained unopened. Topiter claimed no memory of the incident and offered apologies to the victim, who has since returned to Ukraine. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his trauma and progress in prison, imposed a one‑year term to run concurrently with his existing sentence for the arson, and declined to add any further time for the theft.
The former Ireland hockey international Catriona Carey, aged 47, faces a money‑laundering trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court scheduled for 27 January 2027. She is charged with three offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, one each in 2019, 2020 and 2021, for allegedly converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using proceeds of crime. The alleged proceeds were held in a bank account in the name of Careysfort Asset Estates Ltd at Wise Europe SA. Carey's barrister, Kevin Roche BL, requested a trial date and indicated the trial would last four to six weeks. Judge Orla Crowe set the trial date and bailed Carey to that date. Two co‑accused, John Steadmond (48) and Paddy Maher (57), were also before the court, each charged with 17 related offences, including unlawful solicitor activity and false representation to induce deposits.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 49‑year‑old man was found guilty of assault causing serious harm to his then partner, assault causing harm, and two counts of producing a knife. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his stepdaughter. The court heard that on 20 October 2022 he left the home, returned, and attacked his partner in their child's bedroom, dragging her by the hair, punching, kicking, and stabbing her twice in the chest and once in the cheek. He also attempted to stab his stepdaughter, who escaped with a scratch to her neck. The victim spent four days in hospital, suffered permanent facial disfigurement and potentially fatal chest wounds. The judge sentenced the defendant to ten years' imprisonment, citing the domestic setting, trust relationship, and psychological harm, and backdated the sentence to 2022.
Shane Mulvey, 26, a former supermarket assistant manager, was arrested after Gardaí discovered over €2.6 million worth of drugs in his apartment and vehicle. Surveillance revealed him handing a kilo of cocaine to a contact at a Swords car park. A concealed unit in his car contained 14 kg of cocaine valued at about €1 million, and further cocaine, amphetamine, cannabis, MDMA, a mixing agent, a counting machine and other paraphernalia were found in his spare bedroom. €66,700 in cash was seized. Mulvey pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale, possession of proceeds of crime and possession of an article in connection with a crime. He received a headline sentence of 11 years, reduced to nine years with the final year suspended, backdated to his November 2024 arrest. The court noted his prior convictions, family background, apology, early guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts.
A 14‑year‑old boy was caught on CCTV taking part in a robbery of an off‑duty Garda on Camden Road, Dublin 8, on 22 January 2024. He kicked the victim repeatedly to the head while the 29‑year‑old co‑accused punched him to the ground. The pair then stole the Garda's phone, two passports, a Garda ID card and bank cards, and returned to re‑check the victim's pockets, kicking him again. The boy, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. He had been in special care as a baby due to maternal neglect and had been removed from care in recent years because of drug use, missing from care, and exploitation by criminals. Social workers had recommended emergency special care shortly before the attack, but no bed was available. The court heard that the boy was later placed in care and has not gone missing for several months.
David Rogers, a 69‑year‑old former car dealer from Dublin, pleaded guilty to deception offences relating to the sale of cars during the 2008‑2009 financial crash. He defrauded three victims: the first sold a car for €9,500, the second sold a deceased father's car for €22,000, and the third bought an SUV that was later traded in. Rogers failed to pay the victims, claiming he was abroad and that the matter was beyond the statute of limitations. He eventually returned €20,000 to the second victim and €24,000 to the third, the latter including a €2,000 token of remorse. The court found Rogers had a prior road‑traffic conviction and that he had lost his home. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain sentenced him to 18 months in prison, but substituted 240 hours of community service, citing his guilty plea, remorse, good character and the long delays victims endured.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 26 June 2025, Keith Walsh, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his 64‑year‑old mother, Maura Walsh, at their Cabra home on 22 August 2024. The court heard that Walsh had repeatedly punched his mother's head, pinned her against a wall, and held his hands around her neck during a "meltdown" over a cigarette. Garda Aaron McGrath reported that Walsh had been intoxicated when arrested and that the mother had withdrawn her statement after the incident. Walsh's defence counsel described a background of alcohol and drug use, mental health struggles, and a history of work for Red Bull and in construction. Judge Martina Baxter noted the aggravating nature of the assault, urged Walsh to address his addiction, and adjourned sentencing to November to allow probation services to assess his risk. The court did not yet impose a sentence.
Joseph Thorpe, aged 73, a former Dublin football club coach, pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault for sexually assaulting a boy aged 12‑14 during a club trip to County Kerry between September 1974 and September 1976. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated that the assault occurred in a shared caravan bed while other children were present. Thorpe has five prior convictions, including a 1990 suspended sentence for indecent assault of another teenage boy. Judge Martina Baxter, noting Thorpe's position of trust and the profound impact on the victim, imposed a 20‑month imprisonment sentence suspended in full for 24 months and ordered 18 months of probation supervision. Thorpe was remanded in custody last week and described the conditions as shocking. The court heard that Thorpe is estranged from his children, has a history of postal work, and has complex medical issues.
Former solicitor Herbert Kilcline, aged 64, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for his role in a €266,000 property fraud scheme that involved falsifying deeds to change ownership of two Dublin properties on Phibsborough Road and St Mary's Road. Kilcline was convicted of two counts of using a false instrument, two counts of failing to keep records, two counts of fraudulent procurement of an entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry and two counts of failing to apply required measures as a designated person. The court noted that Kilcline had previously acted as a covert human intelligence source for Gardaí and that the scheme had caused losses to the injured parties and threatened the integrity of the land registry system. Kilcline's sentence was imposed with consideration of his medical and mental health issues. The case also involved former businessman Philip Marley, who received a three‑year sentence for related offences. Philip Marley pleaded guilty.
Brian Reilly, a 29‑year‑old banned driver with 126 prior convictions, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally in 2021 to seven and a half years' imprisonment for crashing into the Armstrongs' car in January 2020, an act that left Ellen Armstrong with a thumb amputation and lifelong pain. The sentence included an 18‑month suspended period and a lifetime driving disqualification. Reilly was released from jail six weeks before the 2024 incident, when he again caused a serious collision in Meath, injuring a grandmother's wrist and endangering a family of five. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of dangerous driving, four of endangerment and several damage offences. Judge Orla Crowe reactivated the suspended sentence, ordering an additional 18 months of imprisonment and two years of Probation Service supervision, after Reilly refused to enter a bond in court. The court noted the severity of his repeated endangerment offences shortly after release.
Beatriz Carvalho, 23, a Brazilian national with no fixed abode, was stopped at Dublin Airport on 17 November 2024 after travelling via Paris. Immigration officers suspected her because she travelled alone. When questioned, she admitted swallowing about 50–60 cocaine pellets and storing more in her body. She had €1,345 in cash and claimed she was paid the Brazilian equivalent of €2,000 to bring the drugs to Ireland. While at the airport, she passed seven pellets in a bathroom and later retrieved 30 from her body. A total of 110 pellets, worth €86,763, were recovered. Carvalho pleaded guilty to one count of importing drugs. She has no prior convictions in Brazil and was in custody since her arrest. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, reduced from an initial six‑year sentence, taking mitigating factors such as her early admission and cooperation into account. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of her arrest.
Aidan Clohessy, aged 85, was sentenced yesterday to four years for indecently assaulting two boys in the 1980s. He had previously been convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault involving six boys, with five counts from a second trial for assaulting four boys between 1969 and 1986. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the totality principle and Clohessy's age, imposed an additional 16‑month sentence to run consecutively with the earlier four‑year term, giving a global sentence of five years and four months. The offences involved inappropriate touching and physical chastisement of boys aged 10 to 13 who were pupils, and some boarders, at St Augustine's School in Blackrock, Dublin, where Clohessy served as principal from the early 1970s until 1993. The court noted that Clohessy was in a position of trust and that the victims were vulnerable. The 16‑month term is to be served after the four‑year sentence already imposed. Aidan Clohessy pleaded not guilty.
Stuart Murphy, 46, of Tallaght, was jailed for five years after admitting he had stored €360,000 worth of cannabis resin in a van outside his home. Gardaí said he was under duress, having been shown photographs of his father, fiancé and a younger family member to pressure him into holding the drugs. Murphy had a drug debt of €8,000 and had relapsed into addiction during the Covid pandemic. He had previously been clean for over 20 years but lost his job during Covid, leading to depression and a relapse. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, offered an unreserved apology, and was found to have held the drugs for a short time without intent to sell. The judge accepted his duress claim, set a headline sentence of 12 years, but imposed a final sentence of six years, suspending the last 12 months for 12 months on condition of probation engagement.
A 74‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his nephew, who was six at the time, in December 1991. The abuse occurred in three separate incidents on the same night, in the toilet and TV room, when the man placed his hand on the boy's penis and forced the boy to touch him. The victim disclosed the abuse to his mother that day, and the family contacted authorities. The boy later attended St Louise's Unit in Crumlin Hospital, where records and social‑worker transcripts were read at trial. The accused, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, denied the allegations but accepted the jury's verdict. Judge Elva Duffy imposed the custodial sentence after arranging a health plan to meet the defendant's complex medical needs. The victim's impact statement described 34 years of trauma and the relief of the guilty verdict. The unnamed 74-year-old was convicted.
An 85‑year‑old former principal of St Augustine's School, Aidan Clohessy, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault against six boys aged 10 to 13. The offences, which took place between 1969 and 1986, involved inappropriate touching and were described by the judge as "atrocities at night time". Clohessy, who served as principal from the early 1970s until 1993, was found guilty in two separate trials at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. In the first trial he received 14 counts of indecent assault, and in the second he received five counts. He was acquitted of three further counts. Victim impact statements highlighted lasting mental health, educational and employment effects. Clohessy denied wrongdoing and acknowledged corporal punishment used at the school. He will not appeal the verdicts. The sentence was imposed with consideration of his age and health.
An asylum seeker, Omar Haddouche, aged 25, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for violent disorder after he joined others in stamping on a stranger's head during a melee on Dublin's O'Connell Street. The incident began when a group of men, including Haddouche, collided with another group outside the Savoy Cinema. A fight erupted, involving punches, kicks and the use of a belt wrapped around a fist. Haddouche and an accomplice stamped on the victim's head while he was on the ground, causing severe injury that left him with 75 % loss of sight in one eye. The incident lasted about 60 seconds and was captured on CCTV. Haddouche pleaded guilty, admitted his behaviour was unacceptable, and the judge described the violence as "inherently serious." The court imposed a custodial sentence, with no mention of a suspended portion.
Patrick Berry, 40, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for theft. He pleaded guilty to stealing 12 electric scooters, valued at €7,780, from a storage unit at a business park in Ballymount on November 16, 2020. The scooters have not been recovered. Judge Orla Crowe described the offence as "opportunistic," noting it occurred during the pandemic when the area was quiet. The judge highlighted that the theft nearly caused the collapse of the victim's new business, causing significant stress. Aggravating factors included Berry's 30 previous convictions, eight for theft, and the value of the goods. Mitigation included his addiction issues, which he is addressing, and a €3,200 payment offered by his parents as a token of remorse. Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of two years and six months, which was suspended for four years on strict conditions, including remaining drug-free. The court directed that the €3,200 be paid to the injured party's company. The judge stated the court wished to "give this man a chance."
In a Dublin shopping centre, 24‑year‑old Stephan Obelngoa, who was on bail, dragged an 11‑year‑old visually impaired girl away from her mother and brother. The mother, who was walking with her family, saw the boy, who was topless, and tried to avoid him. She then noticed her daughter had vanished from her peripheral vision and turned to find the child being dragged by Obelngoa. The girl screamed, cried and struggled; Obelngoa threw her into a concession stand. Two security guards subdued him, and when Gardaí arrived he shouted, spat a mixture of blood and saliva, and tried to bite them as they attempted to cuff him. The girl was examined the next day, suffering minor spinal tenderness and abrasions, and reported extreme anxiety and trouble sleeping in public places thereafter. Stephan Obelngoa pleaded guilty.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to threatening to kill and rape the mother of his children and assaulting her in front of their two younger children. The court heard that the couple had been together for 11 years and had three children, but the relationship ended eight years before the offences. On 1 April 2022, a dispute over money led the defendant to send a series of threatening WhatsApp voice notes, including threats to "bounce a kettle bell off her head" and to rape her. Three days later, he assaulted the woman outside her home, punching her and kicking her while she was on the ground. The judge noted that the threats were "no joke" and described them as obscene, menacing, humiliating and insulting, and imposed the custodial sentence with supervision by the Probation Service.
Mary Higgins, 63, a former bursar at Mount Sackville Secondary School, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing €500,000 from the school between 2012 and 2017 to fund a gambling addiction. She had full control over the school's cash flow, was the main signatory on bank accounts, and directed how money was allocated. Higgins sold her home and pension to repay the school and has repaid €470,949.62. She has no prior convictions and has since pursued addiction treatment, counselling studies, and voluntary work. The court noted her remorse, the lack of oversight that enabled the theft, and her long service to the school. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a custodial sentence, suspended two years on a €100 bond, and acknowledged her cooperation with Gardaí and forensic accountants. The case highlights the breach of trust and the impact of gambling on her life. Mary Higgins pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain refused to revisit the three‑year prison sentence imposed on Philip Marley, a 53‑year‑old former millionaire businessman from Rathbourne Court, Ashtown. Marley had pleaded guilty in November to procuring fraudulent entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry, deception and registering a false deed that altered ownership of two Dublin properties. The judge had previously deferred the sentence to allow Marley to arrange care for his adult son with severe neurological symptoms. During the hearing, counsel for Marley presented a forensic psychologist's report, but the judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentence, citing the report's findings and directing that it be forwarded to prison authorities. The court also heard mitigation for co‑accused Herbert Kilcline, who faces a separate sentencing on 23 June. Herbert Kilcline was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Thorpe, aged 73, pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault committed between September 1974 and September 1976 during a club trip to County Kerry. The victim, aged 12 to 14 at the time, remains anonymous but described Thorpe as "vile", "evil" and a "danger to children". Thorpe, who had previously been convicted of indecent assault on a teenage boy in the 1980s and received a two‑year suspended sentence in 1990, was found to have lived on a mobile home site in County Meath. The court noted Thorpe's history of five prior convictions, his complex medical issues, and his willingness to engage with the Probation Service. The judge adjourned the case for one week, remanded Thorpe in custody until 25 June, and directed that he receive all required medical treatment while in custody.
Philip Marley (53) of Rathbourne Court, Ashtown, Dublin, was convicted of two counts of using a false instrument, two counts of failing to keep records, two counts of the fraudulent procurement of an entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry and two counts of failing to apply the required measures as a designated person. All charges relate to events between 2016 and 2018 involving two properties in Dublin. Marley pleaded guilty during a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last November. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain described Marley as the 'author' of a €266k scam, which involved the insertion of false deeds onto property titles. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending Marley, requested a four-week adjournment to allow his client to make arrangements for the care of an adult son with severe neurological symptoms. Judge Ni Chulachain agreed to adjourn the finalisation of Marley's three-year sentence to June 19. Herbert Kilcline (64), a serial fraudster and former solicitor, was also convicted of similar charges. John McGowan SC, defending Kilcline, applied for an adjournment to take further instructions in light of a handwriting report and to make a plea of mitigation. Judge Ni Chulachain also agreed to adjourn the finalisation of Kilcline's sentence to June 19. A probation report noted that Kilcline does not accept the jury's verdicts and intends to appeal.
A man with previous convictions for rape and kidnapping has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing three female journalists. Mark McAnaw, formerly of Letterkenny, County Donegal, pleaded guilty to charges relating to harassment that occurred in August 2023. He sent explicit and threatening emails to the women, including threats to kill, and attended their workplace. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the full sentence after McAnaw declined to accept conditions that would have suspended the final twelve months. She imposed a lifelong contact ban and ordered McAnaw remain ten miles from the women's homes and workplaces. The judge noted McAnaw's history of violent offending and his failure to engage with mental health treatment while detained at the Central Mental Hospital. McAnaw is assessed as presenting high risk of violent and sexual reoffending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 17‑month suspended prison sentence and a two‑year driving disqualification on 29‑year‑old Frienna Rockett of Ballybrack, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford. Rockett pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving causing serious bodily harm after she broke a red light at a pedestrian crossing on St Peter's Road, Crumlin, and knocked down an 81‑year‑old woman. CCTV and dash‑cam footage showed the red‑light violation; Rockett claimed she was looking for her sister's house and had misread the traffic light. The victim suffered a brain bleed, multiple fractures and a dislocated shoulder, requiring intensive care and rehabilitation. She now lives with chronic pain, relies on a walking aid and a mobility scooter, and has a son as her full‑time carer.
James Fuery, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after customs officers at Dublin Airport seized €404,520 of cannabis in a suitcase he had brought from Ibiza. The drugs, weighing just under 22.5 kg, were found in 45 vacuum‑sealed packets. Fuery claimed he was under pressure from a €15,000 drug debt and that this was his first time bringing drugs into the country. He described difficulties with cocaine and cannabis, a relapse into addiction, and previous homelessness due to addiction. He has eight prior convictions for road traffic, theft and public order offences but none for drug offences. The court accepted his early guilty plea, noted his cooperation and lack of wealth, and remanded him in custody while ordering a urine analysis. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 7 July.
Belinda Daly, 60, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a long‑standing dispute with a neighbour. CCTV showed her standing in her garden, then reaching over the wall, grabbing the victim's hair and holding her against the wall until the victim escaped. The victim suffered alopecia, headaches, migraines, PTSD, anxiety and nose bleeds, and provided a medical letter to court. Daly had no prior convictions and expressed remorse. Judge Orla Crowe noted the history of conflict and the severity of the assault, setting a headline sentence of two years and six months, then imposing a two‑year sentence suspended in full for three years, with conditions prohibiting any contact with the victim. The conviction is expected to affect Daly's employment in the voluntary and domestic‑violence sectors.
Dan Dowling, a 41‑year‑old civil servant, and retired soldier Edward Horgan, 80, were tried in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for trespassing on a taxiway at Shannon Airport on 25 April 2017. They were found not guilty of criminal damage after writing "Danger, danger, don't fly" on American naval planes, but were convicted of trespass. Judge Martina Baxter ordered each to pay €5,000 to a women's refuge in County Clare. Dowling has appealed his conviction, arguing that his actions were necessary to prevent the transport of ammunition through Ireland and to protect others from an alleged "irreparable evil." Defence counsel Mark Lynam claimed the defence of necessity applied, while the Director of Public Prosecutions said there was insufficient evidence for such a defence. The Court of Appeal will reserve judgment.
Bruna Alves De Campos, a 35‑year‑old mother of four from Brazil, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing 109 cocaine pellets worth €63,653 on 2 November 2024 at Dublin Airport. She admitted ingesting the pellets to finance the care of her ill parents, who had since passed away, and claimed she was a drug mule. Garda Anthony Boyle described her arrival at customs as suspicious, noting photographs of the pellets on her phone and her admission of ingestion. De Campos was taken to hospital, arrested, and later cooperated with investigators by providing phone numbers and email addresses, though she did not name the recipient, citing fear. She had no prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, to be served in full, citing the role of drug mules in drug importation and the hardship of her situation.
Sergiu Lupo, 39, pleaded guilty to 43 counts of theft, attempted theft and criminal damage for a three‑day spree of targeted ATM thefts in Dublin from 3 to 6 June 2019. He stole €7,260 and caused €7,147 in damage across 24 incidents at AIB ATMs in locations such as Artane, Stillorgan, Dundrum, Crumlin, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Rathfarnham, Finglas, Swords and Portmarnock. Lupo also assisted in a separate incident at Sutton Cross, where he watched two men withdraw cash and then drove them away. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 November 2024, for the deliberate, organised nature of the offences and the significant financial loss and inconvenience caused to AIB and the public. The sentence reflects the aggravating factors of the scale of theft and damage, and the fact that Lupo fled and was extradited back to Ireland. He has no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere.
Daniel Buckley, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply after Gardaí raided his cabin on 21 April 2024. He was found throwing a gym bag over a wall; the bag contained €46,358 worth of cannabis and cocaine, plus €1,710 in cash. Buckley admitted he knew the bag held drugs but did not know their value, citing a €10,000 drug debt. He had held the drugs for two weeks, expecting others to take portions. He has prior convictions for theft and drug offences. The court sentenced him to three years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. He will be supervised by the Probation Service for 12 months after release to aid rehabilitation and vocational reintegration.
Vladislovas Jurevicius, a 39‑year‑old chef, was arrested in February 2024 after Gardaí discovered he had cloned fuel cards from a trucking logistics company and used them to steal an estimated €25,000 worth of diesel between August 2023 and February 2024. He pleaded guilty to possession of a card with intent to commit theft and five counts of stealing diesel at an Applegreen service station in Ballymount, as well as one count of cultivating juvenile cannabis plants at his home in Greenfield Heights, Rathwire, Co. Westmeath. Gardaí found 35 cannabis plants, two empty 200‑litre fuel barrels, and photographs of the cloned cards on Jurevicius's phone. He has no prior convictions and was described by his employer as a valuable staff member. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to October 6, allowing Jurevicius to provide additional restitution to the affected company.
Mary Higgins, 62, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €500,000 from Mount Sackville Secondary School between 2012 and 2017. She had been a bursar for 24 years and controlled the school's cash flow, using the money for gambling. Higgins sold her home and signed over her pension to repay the school, having already repaid €470,949.62. She has no prior convictions and has since engaged in addiction treatment, voluntary counselling, and studies in addiction and psychotherapy. The court noted her remorse and the lack of oversight that enabled the theft. She now lives with her 93‑year‑old mother and receives a weekly carer's allowance. Judge Orla Crowe will decide on June 19.